• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.183-196
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• 2017

The research efforts directed at advancing water electrolysis technology continue to intensify together with the increasing interest in hydrogen as an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels. Among the various water electrolysis systems reported to date, systems employing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane are known to display both improved safety and efficiency as a result of enhanced separation of products: hydrogen and oxygen. Conducting water electrolysis in an alkaline medium lowers the system cost by allowing non-platinum group metals to be used as catalysts for the complex multi-electron transfer reactions involved in water electrolysis, namely the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER, respectively). We briefly review the anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and electrocatalysts developed and applied thus far in alkaline AEM water electrolysis (AEMWE) devices. Testing the developed components in AEMWE cells is a key step in maximizing the device performance since cell performance depends strongly on the structure of the electrodes containing the HER and OER catalysts and the polymer membrane under specific cell operating conditions. In this review, we discuss the properties of reported AEMs that have been used to fabricate membrane-electrode assemblies for AEMWE cells, including membranes based on polysulfone, poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phylene) oxide, polybenzimidazole, and inorganic composite materials. The activities and stabilities of tertiary metal oxides, metal carbon composites, and ultra-low Pt-loading electrodes toward OER and HER in AEMWE cells are also described.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 2016

In this study, we have prepared engineering polymer-based ionomers and pore-filled ion-exchange membranes (PFIEMs) employing a porous polyethylene substrate and combined them to fabricate the ionomer-PFIEM composite membranes for the reverse electrodialysis (RED) application. Both the electrochemical properties comparable to those of the commercial ion-exchange membranes (AMX/CMX, Astom Corp., Japan) and the physical stability adaptable to the practical uses have been achieved by integrating the ionomers having a high ion conductivity and the PFIEMs with an excellent mechanical strength. The RED performances have been evaluated by employing the prepared ionomer-PFIEM composite membranes and therefore excellent power generation performances were shown as the levels of 86.4% and 104.8% for the anion-exchange membrane and cation-exchange membrane, respectively, compared with those of the commercial membranes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.432-448
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• 2016

In the last decade, various types of energy harvesting and conversion systems based on ion exchange membranes (IEMs) have been developed for eco-friendly power generation and energy-grid systems. In these membrane-based energy systems, high ion selectivity and conductivity properties of IEMs are critical parameters to improve efficiency of the systems such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells, anion exchange membrane fuel cells, redox flow batteries, water electrodialysis for hydrogen production, and reverse electrodialysis. This article suggests variable approaches to overcome trade-off limitation of polymeric membrane ion transport properties by reviewing various types of composite ion-exchange membranes including novel inorganic-organic nanocomposite membrane, surface modified membranes, cross-linked and pore-filled membranes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.411-426
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• 2022

Energy plays a significant role in modern lifestyle because of our extensive reliance over energy-operating devices. Therefore, there is a need for alternative and green energy resources that can fulfill the energy demand. For this, fuel cell (FCs) especially anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have gained tremendous attention over the other (FCs) due to their fast reaction kinetics without using noble catalyst and allow to use of cheaper polymers with high performance. But lack of highly conductive, chemically, and mechanically stable anion exchange membrane (AEM) still main obstacle to the development of high performance AEMFCs. Therefore, graphene-based polymer composite membranes came into the existence as AEMs for the FCs. The exceptional properties of the graphene help to improve the performance of AEMs. Still, there are lot of challenges in the graphene derivatives based AEMs because of their high tendency of agglomeration in polymer matrix which reduced their potential. To overcome this issue surface modification of graphene derivatives is necessary to restrict their agglomeration and conserved their potential features that can help to improve the performance of AEM. Therefore, this review focus on the surface modification of graphene derivatives and their role in the fabrication of AEMs for the FCs.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2013

We fabricated a composite carbon electrode to remove nitrate ions selectively from a mixed solution of anions. The electrode was fabricated by coating the surface of a carbon electrode with the nitrate-selective anion exchange resin (BHP55, Bonlite Co.) powder. We performed capacitive deionization (CDI) experiments on a mixed solution containing chloride, nitrate, and sulfate ions using a BHP55 cell constructed with the fabricated electrode. The removal of nitrate ions in the BHP55 cell was compared to that of a membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) cell constructed with ion exchange membranes. The total quantity of ions adsorbed in BHP55 cell was $38.3meq/m^2$, which is 31% greater than that of MCDI cell. In addition, the number of nitrate adsorption in the BHP55 cell was $15.9meq/m^2$ (42% of total adsorption), 2.1 times greater than the adsorption in the MCDI cell. The results showed that the fabricated composite carbon electrode is very effective in the selective removal of nitrate ions from a mixed solution of anions.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.332-336
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• 2018

Alkaline oxygen electrocatalysis, targeting anion exchange membrane alkaline-based metal-air batteries has become a subject of intensive investigation because of its advantages compared to its acidic counterparts in reaction kinetics and materials stability. However, significant breakthroughs in the design and synthesis of efficient oxygen reduction catalysts from earth-abundant elements instead of precious metals in alkaline media still remain in high demand. One of the most inexpensive alternatives is carbonaceous materials, which have attracted extensive attention either as catalyst supports or as metal-free cathode catalysts for oxygen reduction. Also, carbon composite materials have been recognized as the most promising because of their reasonable balance between catalytic activity, durability, and cost. In particular, heteroatom (e.g., N, B, S or P) doping on carbon materials can tune the electronic and geometric properties of carbon, providing more active sites and enhancing the interaction between carbon structure and active sites. Here, we focused on boron and nitrogen doped nanocarbon composit (BNC nanocarbon) catalysts synthesized by a solution plasma process using the simple precursor of pyridine and boric acid without further annealing process. Additionally, guidance for rational design and synthesis of alkaline ORR catalysts with improved activity is also presented.